Sport Today

Will ESL learn from WCC?

Ok, so we're all now pinning our hopes on Wigan and Bradford to restore the pride (credibility?) of the ESL.

Regardless of what those two clubs achieve (if anything), the overall weakness of the Euro comp is there for everyone to see, exposed on worldwide television.

Will this provide a catalyst for the sort of radical overhaul of our lazy and self indulgent comp which has been needed for years, which the creation of the SL should have but didn't produce, or will the dunderheads who rule the roost in Europe stick their heads back up their arses when it's all over and go back to the towns and villages of the north with a few extra quid in their back pockets, dreaming of Wembley next season...?

I think I already know the answer to that, and this is the REALLY depressing thing about the WCC results.

Wake up Europe! It's time to get serious about this game of Rugby League, and structure a comp to build and develop clubs which CAN compete with the ASL at all levels, not just the odd one or two freakish results.

If it's bad now, imagine what it will be like when the two comps in Aus get their act together!!!

John Drake -- Rugby League - The Greatest Game on the Web http://greatestgame.simplenet.com

>Ok, so we're all now pinning our hopes on Wigan and Bradford to restore the >pride (credibility?) of the ESL.

>Regardless of what those two clubs achieve (if anything), the overall >weakness of the Euro comp is there for everyone to see, exposed on >worldwide television.

>Will this provide a catalyst for the sort of radical overhaul of our lazy >and self indulgent comp which has been needed for years, which the creation >of the SL should have but didn't produce, or will the dunderheads who rule >the roost in Europe stick their heads back up their arses when it's all >over and go back to the towns and villages of the north with a few extra >quid in their back pockets, dreaming of Wembley next season...?

>I think I already know the answer to that, and this is the REALLY >depressing thing about the WCC results.

>Wake up Europe! It's time to get serious about this game of Rugby League, >and structure a comp to build and develop clubs which CAN compete with the >ASL at all levels, not just the odd one or two freakish results.

I mean chances are Wigan or Bradford aren't gonna win it and where does that leave us....

The WCC is a great idea but our teams aren't living with what's expected from them. I can only speak for Salford cos I see em week in week out but that was a performance of a team against Adelaide that really wasn't on a par with what they're capable of.

Credit to the Rams, can't even really complain about the ref they did a fine job but they did do what they were allowed to do today.

Six tries in 24 minutes wasn't the mark of open expansive rugby. It was the mark of a team not prepared or not able, which ever, to compete for the full eighty.

I don't think it's fitness. These guys train every day of the week. We have the heat (not that bad in Adelaide), the jet-lag (perhaps a little valid indication in the last 25 mins) but most of all we have the attitude.

These lads are brought up on a diet of the Aussies being invincible and after this competition it's gonna be reinforced.

As I've said elsewhere Adelaide aren't the best team we've played this year yet that's our biggest defeat. You work it out.

Where from here?? God only knows.

I just remember Joe Lydon saying that he wanted to see his leading GB coaching contenders in action in the WCC. Enjoying it Joe?

> Ok, so we're all now pinning our hopes on Wigan and Bradford to restore the > pride (credibility?) of the ESL.

> Regardless of what those two clubs achieve (if anything), the overall > weakness of the Euro comp is there for everyone to see, exposed on > worldwide television.

> Will this provide a catalyst for the sort of radical overhaul of our lazy > and self indulgent comp which has been needed for years, which the creation > of the SL should have but didn't produce, or will the dunderheads who rule > the roost in Europe stick their heads back up their arses when it's all > over and go back to the towns and villages of the north with a few extra > quid in their back pockets, dreaming of Wembley next season...?

> I think I already know the answer to that, and this is the REALLY > depressing thing about the WCC results.

> Wake up Europe! It's time to get serious about this game of Rugby League, > and structure a comp to build and develop clubs which CAN compete with the > ASL at all levels, not just the odd one or two freakish results.

> If it's bad now, imagine what it will be like when the two comps in Aus get > their act together!!!

> John Drake > -- > Rugby League - The Greatest Game on the Web > http://greatestgame.simplenet.com

>We lost about 20 years progress by thinking our last world cup win made

us number one forever. That's depressing. We've failed to learn from 82 and 86. That's enough to make you feel suicidal.

But I reckon we have a few clubs that can almost compete on equal terms, provided their brains are functioning properly.

What's depressed me has been that Its been errors of judgement and lack of will that's done it for our teams as much as anything else. That really has to change.

I don't think any amount of league re alignment is going to change it either. It goes deeper than that.